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Chapter 7
The Duke who did nothing but scold Eloise.
The Duchess, who remained cold even though her daughter might have been hurt.
Even her younger brother, who criticized his own sister.
The three of them stood united, as though they alone were the real family, cornering Eloise together.
Eloise’s eyes trembled before a single tear rolled down her cheek.
“So, Rizette… it’s alright if you run away. But… considering how dangerous the outside world is… would you stay with me just a little longer?”
It felt as though that tear had fallen directly onto my heart.
She looked so much like my former self.
We were part of the same family, yet somehow I had always felt like the only outsider.
Perhaps…
Perhaps it was because of them that Eloise had become so bitter.
“Meow.”
If I escaped the Duke’s estate now, I’d almost certainly end up as a stray cat rummaging through garbage cans.
But I’d planned my escape because I was terrified of being abused by the villainess—or getting caught in the destruction of the Montclair family.
“I’ll find a way to send you back to Seal.”
“Meow.”
Promise me.
Promise you’ll send me back to Marcel.
If she didn’t mistreat me…
I supposed I could stay with her for a little while.
I’d rather avoid becoming a stray if I could.
I’d already struggled enough in my previous life.
I rubbed my face against the slender arm hanging over the edge of the sofa.
“I hope you’ll help the young lady too.”
“She’ll need you as well.”
Etienne’s and Marcel’s words echoed in my ears.
Right.
I owed them my life.
I’ll think of this as repaying that debt and stay beside her for just a little while.
Eloise gently stroked my head with her weak hand.
“Meow.”
I could run away whenever I wanted.
And if things became dangerous, Etienne had promised he’d rescue me.
This was only temporary.
I’d just pretend I was the one looking after Eloise for a little while.
Maybe then…
I’d finally understand why Etienne and Marcel had both tried so hard to help the so-called villainess.
Not long afterward…
I regretted that decision almost immediately.
Two days passed after my failed escape.
Aside from the wooden box beside Eloise’s bed being replaced with a soft cushion, nothing much had changed.
I ate meals in her room.
While she read books or wrote letters, I wandered around exploring.
I was so absorbed in inspecting the room that I completely lost track of time.
Then…
Everything happened without warning.
Smack!
The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the room.
Startled, I looked up from where I’d been playing with a ball of yarn near the fireplace.
One of the maids clutched her cheek, sobbing.
“Hic… M-Miss… What have I done to deserve this?”
“Do I really have to explain even that?”
Eloise answered arrogantly as she pulled the servant bell.
A moment later, her personal maid, Sophie, entered after knocking.
“You called for me, Miss?”
“Remove her.”
Just two words.
Yet they completely changed the maid’s future.
The maid immediately dropped to her knees before Eloise.
“I-I’m sorry, Miss! Please forgive me!”
“For what?”
“W-Well…”
The maid trembled violently.
But she couldn’t answer what she’d done wrong.
Whether she truly hadn’t done anything…
Or whether she knew but was too frightened to say…
I couldn’t tell.
Witnessing the villainess’s cruelty firsthand made me instinctively hide beneath the sofa.
“So you can’t even tell me what you did wrong, yet you’re asking for forgiveness?”
She glanced at Sophie.
“Why are you still standing there?”
“My apologies, Miss. Come with me.”
The maid was practically dragged away by Sophie.
Her polished black shoes scraped helplessly across the floor.
The door closed.
Blue shoes decorated with pearls silently approached.
They stopped in front of the sofa.
Rustle.
The sound of a dress brushing against itself came from above.
Did she sit down?
While staring at Eloise’s shoes, I noticed a tiny bottle lying beneath the sofa.
It hadn’t been there this morning.
The little glass vial, barely larger than my paw, contained a few brown droplets.
Sniff…
I brought my nose close.
It smelled sweet…
Yet strangely bitter.
“Khk! Cough! Cough!”
The inside of my nose suddenly felt like it was burning.
At the same time, my airway tightened.
Hot…! It hurts!
“Meow! Myaaah!”
“Rizette?”
Sea-green eyes appeared beyond the edge of the sofa.
But only briefly.
My vision grew darker and darker.
The only thing I could clearly feel was the agony spreading through my entire body, as though I were burning alive.
“M… meow…”
I’ve only been reincarnated for such a short time…
Am I dying again already?
If this was going to happen… I should’ve just run away back then.
I shouldn’t have believed the villainess…
Damn you, Marcel.
Stupid Etienne.
After silently cursing the two men…
I lost consciousness.
“…So… that’s why?”
“…Yes.”
Muffled voices drifted into my ears.
Did I die… and come back again?
Or am I still inside the novel?
I struggled to open my eyes.
They refused to move, as though glued shut.
Instead, the voices gradually became clearer.
“Miss, do you have any idea who could have done this?”
“…Seneca.”
“I see… Even the scent of Seneca is lethal to such a young kitten. She’s fortunate it wasn’t worse.”
“I see.”
“But… how did such a poison end up in your room…?”
“Pretend you never heard that.”
Her voice remained calm.
“Nothing good will come from speaking about it.”
So it really was poison.
At least I survived.
Maybe cats really do have nine lives.
Through my hazy consciousness, fragments of the novel resurfaced.
Could this have been the Count’s family… the ones supporting the heroine?
After the heroine became the Crown Prince’s lover, they repeatedly tried to make her Crown Princess.
Every attempt failed because their opponent was House Montclair.
Instead, they suffered repeated setbacks.
The heroine herself had even tearfully begged them to stop doing such things.
Still…
I never imagined they’d go so far as attempted assassination.
“I’ve already given her the antidote.”
The unfamiliar voice continued.
“She’ll recover little by little. Please don’t worry.”
“Very well. You should return and rest.”
“You should rest as well, Miss.”
The man chuckled softly.
“You’ve stayed by her side all night.”
Unlike everyone else, he didn’t seem afraid of Eloise.
After a brief silence, she murmured quietly,
“…It’s only because she was entrusted to me by His Highness the Second Prince.”
“Of course.”
His tone suggested he didn’t quite believe that.
“Dr. Etmon.”
“Yes, yes. I’ll take my leave now. If anything happens, send for me.”
The door clicked shut.
A gentle hand carefully stroked my head.
“You’ve suffered enough.”
For some reason…
Eloise sounded as though she were holding back tears.
“This is exactly why… I said I shouldn’t keep you…”
She continued talking to herself.
I’m alright.
I’m awake.
I wanted to meow and reassure her.
But my throat still burned too much for any sound to come out.
“If I simply left everyone alone…”
She whispered quietly,
“…they’d eventually disappear on their own.”
“So why is everyone so determined to torment them?”
This goes beyond torment.
Trying to kill someone just because she’s the Crown Prince’s fiancée…
That was far too much.
In the original novel, Eloise was punished after committing countless atrocities.
But at this point…
She hadn’t done anything yet.
Well…
Aside from supposedly causing scenes.
Even so, poisoning her was cruel.
The woman I’d feared simply because she was the villainess…
Now seemed strangely pitiful.
Before long…
The medicine weighing down my body pulled me back into sleep.
When I finally opened my eyes again, bright sunlight streamed into the room.
The luxurious bedroom came into view.
Eloise sat on the sofa watching me.
My vision seemed fine.
The burning pain had disappeared.
“Me… meow.”
Even my voice had returned.
Dr. Etmon really was an excellent veterinarian.
“Are you feeling better, Rizette?”
Hearing me, Eloise immediately came over.
Come to think of it…
I’d stolen her bed.
Dark circles lingered beneath her eyes.
She looked utterly exhausted.
You’re supposed to be the villainess.
So why did you stay awake all night nursing me?
You’re making it harder to keep my guard up.
“Meeow.”
I stretched as far as I could.
For the briefest moment…
It looked as though Eloise smiled.
“What a relief.”
“Mew!”
Aside from my entire body feeling sore from the poison, I felt surprisingly well.
After carefully looking me over from head to tail, Eloise reached for the servant bell once again.
